A RUNCORN sailor is playing a key role in the mission to evacuate thousands of civilians from the besieged city of Beirut.

Leading chef John Lloyd, 35, is serving aboard HMS St Albans, one of the Royal Navy ships involved in the evacuations.

On Monday, the Royal Navy warship helped 241 people leave the area.

The Portsmouth-based vessel arrived in Beirut Port at 10.30am and spent just under three hours receiving passengers who were then transferred to safety in Cyprus.

Mr Lloyd joined the Navy in 1988 and has served on HMS Manchester, Illustrious, Southampton, Invincible, Exeter, Edinburgh and currently HMS St Albans.

He served in both Gulf Wars and has visited most places in the Mediterranean and Gulf region.

He said: 'My current role on-board is working as the leading caterer, ordering the food required to feed the ship's company and then managing the storerooms and carrying out daily issues of provisions to the galley as well as managing the accounting side of the job.

'My secondary role is as a member of the fire and emergency party. This means I need to be ready to react to any incident that may occur day or night.

'During the evacuation I carried on as a member of the emergency party, but I was also involved with the feeding and supplying of refreshments to our guests on board.

'This was a worthwhile task, the Brits needed a way of getting out and this was the easiest.

'Although it was hard work it was worth it and we got such gratitude from the people evacuated.'

Mr Lloyd is one of a 180-strong crew which has been deployed to the Gulf for the next six months on board HMS St Albans which sailed from Portsmouth on February 13 and was ordered to join other UK forces off Beirut as she was setting sail for home.

On Monday, Commander Steve Daiton, commanding officer of HMS St Albans, said: 'We are pleased to be able to help and the response by my ship's company today has been absolutely fantastic.